Chapter 682: Honeymoon Havoc, Part 2
Katelina's thoughts fell away when she noticed several figures on the porch. A Japanese girl, dressed in a puffy pink dress, looked no more than thirteen. The doll she clutched, dressed in a matching outfit, made her seem even younger. Clustered around her were three males. The tallest had long black hair, while a coppery redhead leaned on a cane, his right trouser leg tied off where his ankle had once been. The third was still human and no more than seventeen, if he was that old.
It was their guests.
"Jorick-ue!" Maeko hurried towards them. "You have brought a new friend!"
"I don't know who she is." He stopped before the diminutive vampiress. "Verchiel dumped her on us."
Sharon cringed into herself. Katelina felt the prickle of her humiliation and sighed. It really wasn't her fault. "There's someone after her," she explained.
Maeko bowed, introduced herself, then took Sharon's hand and led her onto the porch. "I am sure Jorick-ue means to welcome you. Let's go inside and discuss your circumstances."
Jorick made a noise that said she was wrong about the welcome, but followed the pair into the living room. The males hesitated, motioning Katelina ahead of them with polite nods.
Inside, Maeko seated Sharon on the couch, then perched next to her, signaling Katelina to take the other side.
Jorick swept into one of the winged back chairs and crossed his legs, his dark eyes trained on the newcomer. Katelina looked away from her, waiting for the others to come inside, but they stayed on the porch, as if standing guard.
And maybe they are. Except Ryuu, the human, the others were mind readers and whisperers: vampires who could send thoughts to someone else. Maeko had probably given them silent orders since the mysterious Eli might pop up at any moment, ready for violence.
Or so Verchiel had said. Katelina suddenly realized that he hadn't actually said that at all. He hadn't really said anything.
Jorick's narrowed eyes said he was thinking something similar, but Maeko took the reins by placing a consoling hand on Sharon's arm. "Start at the beginning. You and our Executioner friend know one another?"
Sharon swallowed uncomfortably. "I met Verchiel at the citadel, where we went to the wedding."
Maeko nodded encouragingly. "I thought Sharon-san looked familiar."
Sharon took a steadying breath. "Yesterday Eli showed up. He's-he's my master. Was my master. I suppose he still is, but my blood debt is paid. Or he said it was." Jorick coughed, and she cringed farther into herself. "After he released me, I left right away and headed to the citadel. That's where Robin saw me with Verchiel. He called Eli, who claims that he didn't released me. He says I ran away, and that I owe him another twenty years. But I don't. It's been thirty already! It's ridiculous."
"Blood debts can last centuries with an unscrupulous master," Jorick muttered.
"Who's Robin?" Katelina asked. Was it someone they were supposed to know?
"A friend of Eli's. He's a sniveling snake. I knew as soon as I saw him that trouble was coming. I warned Verchiel about it."
"Are Sharon-san and Verchiel-san a couple?" Maeko asked delightedly.
Sharon flushed and shook her head. "Unfortunately no. He's fun, but I doubt he looks at me as anything serious. I thought he might, when he first volunteered to get me out of the citadel, but I don't think so anymore."
"It's hard to tell with him." It wasn't entirely comforting, but it was the best Katelina had. Knowing Verchiel, Sharon was probably right, but it seemed wrong to say. So, she changed the subject. "I'm curious where the jealousy and cruelty come in."
Sharon looked away. "Eli-he wasn't a particularly kind master. He never loved me, not a real, normal love, but-"
She trailed off and Katelina decided to let it go - for now. "So this Eli followed the two of you from the citadel?"
Sharon nodded.
Jorick made a low noise. "I'd like to know why Verchiel chose to come here."
Sharon shrugged. "He said he had a friend who'd be willing to help. Isn't that you?"
Katelina hurried to answer before Jorick could correct her. "Of course we'll help you. I'm just not sure what we're supposed to do."
"I don't know what Verchiel's plan is, either," Sharon admitted. "I thought we'd discuss it on the way, but he had music going the whole time. And he drove like a maniac. I swear, we never went slower than eighty."
Maeko patted Sharon's knee. "It seems the best thing to do is wait for Verchiel-san to arrive and tell us what he has planned."
"Assuming he's thought that far ahead," Katelina muttered.
They fell into silence. Katelina knew she should suggest some kind of entertainment, but she couldn't think of one. It had been hard enough to find things for Maeko and her boys to do, and they were happy just talking or playing games. There was a TV shoved in the corner that Katelina had made Jorick buy, but they couldn't get any channels. She assumed they needed some kind of booster antenna, but the specifics escaped her, and the employee at the twenty-four hour big-box store knew even less than she did. "Come back in the daytime," he'd suggested. Like that was going to happen.
The door thumped open. Katelina looked up as Verchiel came to a stop, followed by Maeko's boys. The Executioner looked ruffled, with a cut on one cheek.
At the sight, Sharon leapt to her feet. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." Verchiel waved her off and turned to Jorick. "I ran into Eli."
"And?" Katelina demanded.
Verchiel touched his cheek and looked surprised at the crimson he came away with. "It wasn't much of a fight, not a tooth and nail brawl or anything, but he made his opinion known."
"Did you kill him?" Sharon asked. When Verchiel shook his head no, her hands fluttered, like a distressed butterfly. "What am I going to do?"
He moved to lay a hand on her shoulder. "It's not the end of the world."
"But it is! You said if he took it before the Lesser Council they'd rule in his favor."
"They would," Jorick agreed.
"But it won't come to that. We just need to negotiate." Verchiel's cheerful fa?ade flickered and Katelina saw something in his eyes. "You won't like it, but he's requested a meeting."
"What?" Sharon stepped away. "You didn't agree?"
The redhead shrugged. "It won't hurt to see what he has to say. Unless you have a better idea?"
"You should have killed him!" Sharon moaned and covered her face. "You don't understand. I can't see him!"
Katelina felt her fear; cold and paralyzing, like being trapped in ice, powerless to break free. Though terrifying, she knew the emotions weren't her own. Not mine, she told herself firmly. Not mine.
Maeko stepped to Sharon's side and gently patted her back. "Sharon-san will not be alone. We will be there."
"He won't be alone, either," Sharon muttered into her hands. "He'll have Robin and-and Zeke," she whispered the name with a shudder. Her voice hardened as she added, "And Dilana."
"I don't know who will be there," Verchiel admitted. "I'm sure we can handle anyone he brings." He looked to Jorick for confirmation, but the dark vampire only grunted.
"Anyway," the redhead went on, his usual cheerfulness back. "We agreed to meet at Loren's house tomorrow evening, an hour after sunset. We'll talk to Eli, and convince him to let you go. He can't keep you forever."
"He'll never agree to it," Sharon said bitterly.
"We'll see." Verchiel gave her a wink. "It might turn out better than you think."
Sharon wailed and Maeko gently led her out of the room, cooing, "Come, Sharon-san would like to rest, yes?"
Their footsteps trailed away. Hikaru frowned after his mistress, and flicked long black hair back from his face. "I do not like this."
"Neither do I," Takeshi agreed, leaning on his cane, his bright red-orange hair like a miniature sunburst in the gloomy room.
"I'm sure it will be fine." Verchiel rubbed his hands together. "Who wants a snack? After my little tussle, I could use a bite." His eyes wandered towards the human Ryuu and then away.
Jorick gave a low growl. "We haven't agreed to harbor her, or to help."
"You'd turn her away?" Verchiel asked with mock outrage.
Jorick glared. "In case you missed it, Katelina and I are supposed to be on our honeymoon!"
Verchiel chuckled. "Honeymoon? Here? You're right, I missed it, and I bet she did too. A honeymoon is supposed to be somewhere exotic and romantic, not just hiding out in your house." He tipped Jorick a wink then evaporated before Jorick could kill him.
